Iran-backed militias operating under the Islamic Resistance Front are the primary facilitators of drug trafficking into Iraq, making the arrest of individual traffickers insufficient to curb the illicit trade, according to a report by Sky News Arabia.

The report comes days after Iraqi security forces announced the arrest of a notorious drug trafficker known as Abu Sheikh. While authorities described the operation as a major achievement in the country's anti-narcotics campaign, the report argued that the broader trafficking network remains intact.

According to Sky News Arabia, armed groups backed by Iran provide the principal logistical support for the narcotics trade, allowing drugs to enter Iraq through border crossings and smuggling routes under their control.

The broadcaster further alleged that Hezbollah is involved in trafficking Captagon and operates cross-border smuggling networks linking multiple countries in the region.

Iraqi sources cited by the report claimed that the majority of narcotics entering Iraq originate in Iran before being transported into the country through networks allegedly controlled by militia groups.

Although Abu Sheikh's arrest was described as an important security success, the report argued that dismantling individual trafficking cells alone will not significantly reduce the flow of narcotics. It claimed that the central challenge lies in armed organizations that allegedly use drug trafficking as a major source of revenue.

Iraq has witnessed a significant increase in drug trafficking and drug abuse in recent years, with government officials describing narcotics as one of the country's most serious security threats. Captagon, crystal methamphetamine, and other synthetic drugs are among the substances most frequently seized during security operations.

In response, Iraqi authorities have intensified anti-narcotics campaigns, arresting thousands of suspects and confiscating large quantities of illicit drugs. The government has also strengthened border security, particularly along Iraq's eastern and southern frontiers, which are widely regarded as major smuggling corridors.

Iraqi officials have repeatedly warned that organized criminal networks and armed groups exploit porous borders to finance their activities through drug trafficking.